Saturday, May 03, 2008

The Door to Hell is in Darvaz, Uzbekistan. Learn more about it and see photos and a video of it below.

The Door to Hell

Actually, I did a google map search the only Darvaz I see is in Tajikistan. Still, its close by, more or less, to Uzbekistan. I happened on a Russia-English website full of photos and the story of The Door to Hell. Who would've thought it existed? But it does. The locals named it that and when you see the photos you will understand why.

The story of this particularly odd phenomenon in either Tajikistan or Uzbekistan is that this huge burning crater opened up and has been burning for 35 years. Its just outside of the small town of Darvaz. Thirty-five years ago, geologists were drilling there for gas ... and apparently they found it. The drilling opened up an enormous underground cavern. It was so big that the entire drilling site and all of the equipment they were using could fit down into the cavern.

The problem was that the cavern was filled with gas so the geologists didn't dare go down into it. Instead, one or more of them had the brilliant idea to ignite the gas to burn it off so they could continue their project. They didn't want the gas escaping the big hole, which makes sense. And so they ignited it and its still burning thirty-five years later.

There's no way of knowing how much gas has been burnt in all these years. There's also no way of knowing how much gas is still down there because no one can figure out how to put out the fire. Apparently, it will just burn indefinitely.

I wouldn't want that gas bill. Can you just imagine the carbon footprint THAT is creating!!!

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The opinions expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone. They do not represent the opinions of anyone associated with me in any way.

As of January 2008 I have monetized this blog. I have included advertising on the blog and occasionally write posts for which I receive compensation. I usually, but don’t always, disclose that I have written a post for compensation. I do guarantee an honest opinion in the post regardless of whether or not it has been requested and/or I am compensated for it.